Liquid-dispenser.



H. c. LYONS.

LIQUID DISPENSER. APPLICATION FILED APR, 23. I9I4.

Patented May 11, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET. 1.

I II! lu hli li UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HARRY o. L ons, or new YORK, 1v. Y.

LIQUID-DISPENSER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 11, 1915.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY C. L ons, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the borough of Manhattan, city, county, and State of NewjYork, have invented'certain new and useful Improvements in LiquidDispensers, of which the following is a specification.

Although my invention is applicable to the dispensing of various liquid mixtures containing constituent fluid parts of different specific gravities, in such manner as to attain a relatively proportionate discharge of each, the object of my invention is particularly to afford a dispensing receptacle for milk from which the contents may be drawn off in an equitable manner,that is to say with a due proportion of cream and the richer and lighter constituent parts of the milk as well as of the thinner lower portions thereofafter it has settled.

,The invention consists in the specific construction and arrangement of parts described and claimed, a distinctive feature being the usewof'aplurali'ty of draining ducts, or pipes of different relative heights,

all communicating with a common discharge chamber, as hereinafter more fully set forth.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1, is a central vertical sectional elevation of apparatus embodying the essential features of my invention; Fig. 2, a top view of the same with both covers removed; Fig. 3, a top view of the discharge chamber; Fig. 4, a view of the under side thereof; Fig. 5, is a full size sectional elevation, partly broken away, of one of my drain pipes or ducts; Fig. 6, a view of the under side thereof; Fig. 7, an elevation of one of the drain duct float caps; Fig. 8, a view of the under side thereof; Fig. 9, is a sectional view of the upper end of a drain duct and float cap immersed; Fig. 10, a similar, view with the liquid level below themouth of the duct; Fig. 11, a detail View showing the screw thread connection between the reservoir and ing of ice if required, it being understood that I herein show and describe my apparatus as adapted for the storage and =dispensing of milk, without however limiting -m'yself to this specific purpose, to which it is nevertheless particularly adapted.

' c, o, are spacing bars which may be used to centralize the dispensing reservoir D,

within the casing C, which latter is provided with aremovable cover 0'. The dispensing reservoir D, is also preferably provided with a removable cover d, and with legs 03, d, which afford a space below the reservoir D, for a cooling medium.

The lower part of the dispensing reservoir D, is formed with a discharge chamber D, which is preferably detachable to facilitate cleansing of the parts when necessary. Thus, the dispensing reservoir D, being cylindrical, the discharge chamber D, may be circular and formed with a peripheral screw thread d engaging a female screw thread d formed for its reception on the lower inner edge of the receptacle D, as shown in Figs. 1, and 11.

The discharge chamber D, is connected with a dispensing faucet f, by means of a pipe or conduit f, attached to the said faucet and formed at its inner end with a screw thread P, which engages with a female screw thread formed for its reception in an enlargement d, of the wall ofthe discharge chamber D, as will be seen by reference to Fig. 1, particularly. This discharge duct or conduit f, is provided with an annular conoidal wedge gasket F, of rubher or other suitable packing, which fits in a thimble 0 positioned in the side wall of the casing C, as shown in Fig. 1. This construction admits of-the removal and replacement vof the faucet), conduit f, packing plug i &c., whenever desired.

Any desired plural number of drain tubes e, 0, may be used in the dispensing reservoir D, as may be found most expedient. In the drawings eleven are shown arranged in an annular row around the inner cylindrical wall-of the reservoir, although this arrangement is not material since the drain tubes or ducts e, e, may be grouped together if desired :or otherwise arranged to conform to special conditions of use &c., the esential feature in this respect being the use of a plurality of drain tubes within the reservoir each having an inlet port at a difierent elevati on from that of the others, and all connected with a common discharge chamber D, whereby the liquid contents of the reseryeir "D, is simultaneously drawn off from diflerent levels. For instance it is well and the water and heavier constituents at and toward the bottom of the receptacle, so that heretofore when the milk has been drawn intermittently from the bottom of the receptacle it has been customary and necessary to frequently stir it up in the receptacle and agitate it preparatory to drawing ofl' 1n order to attain even approximately a blending of the constituents. -This frequent agitation of the milk is objectionable and inconvenient, and solves the problem only in part. By my construction and arrangement of parts, which is the result of experimental investigation, I am enabled to draw ofl' simultaneously and proportionately the different constituent parts of the liquid contents of my dispensing reservoir D, so that an equitable distribution or dispensing of all is positively and automatically attained without agitating or disturbing the liquid at all, other than incidental to the natural gravity flow when the faucet f, is opened to permit the outflow of the contents of the common discharge chamber D, with which the lower ends of the drain tubes e, communicate.

When the faucet f, is open and the flow established the cream and other constituents of the milk mingle in the discharge chamber D, which is also essentially a mixing chamber, and for this reason, and to prevent the return or rising of 'the cream and lighter constituents back through the drain tubes after the faucet is closed, I interpose a valve 11, between the discharge and mixing chamber D, and in each of the drain tubes 6, which will thus insure the retention of the mixture in the discharge chamber D, until withdrawn through the faucet f.

Various valves of Well known construction may be used for this purpose so that I do not limit myself in this respect, although I have found the simple float valve '0, shown in the drawings eflective'in operation. In this case the valve '0, consists of a ball of lighter specific gravity than the liquid to be dispensed, and it seats itself automatically against the lower end of the drain duct or tube e, when the liquid in which it is immersed is at rest, but yields before the downward flow of liquid when the faucet f, is open. In this manner also, should the faucet f, be closed suddenly, creating back pressure, the valves 12, prevent the agitation being communicated to the contents of the drain tubes 0, and thence to the liquid contents of the dispensing reservoir D, as it is desirable in the case of milk particularly, to avoid agitation as far as possible.

In the construction shown the lower end of each drain duct 6, is formed with an enlarged base e, externally threaded to engage with a screw thread (i formed for its reception in the top plate d of the discharge chamber D, the interior of said base 6', being formed with a conical seat o for the valve 12, which latter is confined with relation thereto by a guard rail d, on the under side of said top plate d, or by other suitable means which will prevent its displacement during the flow of the liquid.

In order to protect the drain ducts e,-

close the mouth of the tube 6, when the level of the liquid contents of the reservoir D, falls below the same, as shown in Fig. 10, thereby closing the tube, which is however formed with edge notches 0 which admit suflicient air under these conditions to replace the liquid as it descends in the tube.

Obviouslythe float cap may be made in various ways, and the float may consist of a buoyant material such as cork or the like. In the drawings I have shown the float cap a, as formed with a sealed chamber a, sufficient in size to efl'ect the necessary displacement of liquid to float the cap when submerged, and have shown the cap as formed with a central stem a having a limited degree of motion on a spider a which may be frictionally inserted in the end of the drain tube 6.

It is to be understood that by the use of the term faucet herein I mean to designate any form of valve or means of effecting and controlling the flow ofliquid from the discharge chamber D.

From a sanitary point of view my apparatus and method of dispensing the milk are important, since a uniform distribution of constituent parts is attained without agitation, or exposure, whereas under the old method of removing the cover of the receptacle and agitating, mixing, churning up the milk,dust, germs &c., admitted by the exposure were literally stirred into the liquid mass to be dispensed therewith.

What I clainr as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is,

1. In a receptacle 'for holding and dispensing liquids having constituents of different specific gravities, the combination of a plurality of drain ducts each having a drain port at a different level from the other drain ports, a discharge conduit common to all of said drain ducts, and a faucet connected with said discharge conduit, and a float cap for each of said ducts frictionally retained within the same for the purpose described.

2. Means for dispensing liquids containing constituents of different specific gravities, consisting of a dispensing reservoir, a plurality of drain ducts therein each formed with a drain port on a level difl'erent from the drain ports of other drain ductsin the series, a float cap for each of said ducts frictionally retained within the same, a com- 'mon discharge chamber with which all the valve interposed between each drain duct and said discharge chamber, said valve being loosely contained within the lower end of the drain duct and a discharge faucet connected with said discharge chamber, for the purpose described.

4. Means for dispensing'liquids containing constituents of difi'erent specific gravities, consisting of a dispensing reservoir, a

plurality of drain ducts therein, each formed with a drain port on a level different from the drain ports of other drain ducts in the series, a float cap for each drain duct arranged to protect its inlet port, each drain duct being provided with air admission openings at its upper end to admit air when the float cap is seated upon the end of the duct, a common discharge chamber with which all the drain ducts communicate, and a discharge faucet connected with said discharge chamber, for the purpose described.

5. In a receptacle for holding and dispensing liquids having constituents of different specific gravities, a plurality of drain ducts, a discharge chambercommon to all of said ducts, each having its upper end on a different level from the others, a valve in each drain duct at the lower end thereof, each drain duct being detachably mounted and having an enlarged conical base receiving the valve, and a guard for each valve extending into said chamber.

6. In a receptacle for holding and dispensing liquids having constituents of different specific gravities, a plurality of drain ducts, a discharge chamber common to all of said ducts, each having its upper end on a different level from the others, and a valve in each drain duct at the lower end thereof, said valves being operable independently of each other.

Gno. WM. MIATT. 

